1st Quarter Restaurant Round-Up (1st of 2 Parts)

These are not new restaurants. If you’ve been reading this blog for some time now, you know that I don’t feature just-opened establishments because I think it’s only fair for them to get into their groove before being written about. Also, I do try my best now to visit a restaurant more than once to really get a feel of the place. However, I admit that it’s difficult to haul-ass back to a restaurant that didn’t leave a good impression the first time around.

Here, a list of my restaurants of the moment.

Being at Hooters is a Hoot
You can imagine my reaction when my sister tells me that we’re having lunch at Hooters. “Jude likes the chicken wings there,” she says, as if that explanation should suffice. “You don’t go to Hooters for the food you know!” I hear myself squawk, sounding just like one of them blasted chickens before they get made into buffalo wings.

It’s a Sunday and surprise, surprise, Hooters is open. With its wooden and somewhat gaudy interior, the restaurant could almost pass for a family restaurant; the noon-day sun streaming in through the windows gives it a fairly “wholesome” air. Ahem. It’s a stark contrast with the immodestly clad women puttering around in their outrageous orange hot pants (i.e. shorts up to there). Thank goodness the three tots with us are too young to be aware of such things.

I never thought I’d step foot into Hooters, and more surprisingly, I never thought I’d actually like the food at Hooters. The juiciness of their mushroom Swiss burger (P450+ with extra bacon and cheese) astounds as does its taste. And what do you know, the chicken wings (P450; 10 pcs) are piquant, making my mouth water and flame with their incendiary (It’s Nuclear!) salty sourness.

All in all, a good meal in an environment I’m sure I’d enjoy more if I were a man.

Hooters
Building D Units 1-6
San Miguel by the Bay
Mall of Asia, Pasay City

Lolo Dad’s Brasserie: Satisfactory
Even a restaurant that’s as wallet-pounding as Lolo Dad’s experiences “moving blues” once it adds another branch. So does this mean that I shouldn’t complain when goofs arise from the get-go? I’m led to a seemingly available table only to discover that it’s taken when the now-bemused original occupant comes back from the restroom wondering why I’m sitting in his seat. Eep. Then my order of the cheekily-named “Only For The Rich” salad, suitably one of the priciest items on the menu (P1,650) is poorly cooked: the diver scallops and grilled lobster are tough. Thankfully, the non-cooked items such as the prosciutto and cured salmon bathed in pomegranate-molasses dressing tossed in mesclun greens are intact (no heat, see?). Even the seared duck liver is a tad too seared, but then again it’s hard to screw up foie gras; even its oil is divine.

The braised oxtail with mashed potatoes (1st photo; P650) is one dish however that reminds me of the lofty standards Lolo Dad’s is renowned for. Its gelatinous texture makes for loud and satisfactory sticky-lip smacking. Too bad it isn’t my dish ”“ it’s Joey’s. Curses! The mashed potatoes side dish is embraced with truffle oil scents making for heady smells. But it’s impossible to even nick another forkful. Joey’s not keen on sharing food. Then again, neither am I. Margaux has the lobster thermidore with a side of squash gratin. It’s a special for the day. And only for the rich too.

Dessert is baked cheesecake (P250) and when it arrives it’s a trio of the same cake, mini-me’s accompanied with lavender and honey ice cream. How apropos that we’re a party of three since our other companions have to leave. The cheesecake is average but we’re in agreement that the ice cream doesn’t seem to complement it. As of this writing, I do hope that Lolo Dad’s Brasserie has settled into its second home.

Lolo Dad’s Brasserie
Ground Floor, 6750
Ayala Avenue, Makati
813.6750

Smoke ”˜em like Texas
I love ribs. There’s no other food that gets me as in-touch with my masculine side. Using my hands to hold ”˜em ribs, licking the smoky sauce that dribbles down my palms, and wrenching the meat from the bone with my razor-sharp (at least I like to think so) teeth, there’s no better way to celebrate the carnivore in me. Rrr.

If I have to stake my claim on one of the better BBQ and ribs places in Manila, it’d be Texas Smoke ”˜Em. Yet another themed joint in the restaurant empire of Raymund Magdaluyo, he’s teamed up with chef Peter Ayson, who coincidentally, was my classmate at culinary school. Raymund’s wife tells me that the pair, along with several other people who rave about ribs, embarked on rib joint jaunt through the US. There are photos on the wall of Texas Smoke ”˜Em documenting that fact.

Taking over the spot formerly owned by Di’Mark’s, if I’m not mistaken, Texas Smoke ”˜Em is almost disconcertingly small. My table is right in front of the kitchen, its accompanying sounds providing the soundtrack of my dining experience. Not unpleasant but not ideal. I’m surprised to see Mexican food on the menu but on further thought, it seems like a natural; Texas is practically beside Mexico and I’m a sucker for Mexican food anyway.

The menu is a thoughtful offering of dishes tailored for one’s hunger level. Because the person I’m with is an avid meat eater (you know what they say about birds of a feather…) we order the Jumbo Beef Ribs (P488) that comes with two sides; I choose the Cornmeal Plaintain Cakes and fries. The former is similar to the corn muffin at Kenny but more rustic possessing a nubbier texture. There’s also a burrito (P199) to go along with everything, a nod to the Mexican selections. Bursting with rice and meat, its errant sprigs of cilantro imbue the wrap with their distinctive aroma and taste.

And the ribs. The ribs! Straddling sweet, sour, salty and smoky simultaneously, the meat ”“ though not fall-off-the-bone-tender ”“ has every grain of its bovine being immersed in it. Restrained succulence evident in a fair amount of fat but more meat, the contentment I feel after eating a rib is amplified when I hear the dull clunk of the ravaged rib hitting the plate. I marvel at the largeness of the bones quickly piling up. That must’ve been some cow!

THIS RESTAURANT IS NOW CLOSED.

Texas Smoke ‘Em
3/F Greenbelt 3
Ayala Center, Makati
728.3056

No Cheez Whiz on this Cheesesteak
I’ve not been to Philadelphia so I can’t say I’ve tasted an authentic cheesesteak. Cheesesteaks are what Philadelphia (Philly) is known for: hot off the griddle quality beef slapped onto a roll, smothered with cheese and dripping with oil. Mmm, sounds like bliss on a bun to me. I’m unsure whether Elbert’s Cheesesteak was first on the cheesesteak scene or if it was Charlie’s Grind and Grill, which I’ve not been to. Both have their ardent followers but I’ve been to Elbert’s.

Peering into the open kitchen of Elbert’s Cheesesteak, it seems easy enough to make this sandwich. Fresh never frozen slices of sirloin are cooked quickly on a greased griddle or grill, the cook’s hands blurred lightning as he uses his cooking implements to “chop” the beef to bits. The smells are incredible, and my mouth waters in response. (I can’t say the same however for my newly-washed bob cut). The oily mess is then slapped onto a bun, smacked with a handful of roughly-chopped caramelized onions and slapped with the cheese of choice that melts almost immediately from the heat of the meat.

Beef, bun, onions and cheese: choose between cheddar and provolone or get the Pizza Cheesesteak (P420) which has marinara sauce ladled over the lot, a nod to the original Philly cheesesteak created in Philadelphia in the 1930’s (now called a pizza steak).

Me, I like things simple so I go for the American Cheesesteak (P320). It’s the only variant I’ve ever tried in the three times I come to Elbert’s Cheesesteak. My friend leans over and whispers that if this were an original Philly cheesesteak, the cheese would be Cheez Whiz. Bacchus owner Alex Lichaytoo is nearby and overhears my friend’s comment. He nods enthusiastically, but like a man who imports fine food products like he does asserts, “Too expensive!”

Ah, expensive. For some people it comes down to price. The common complaint I’ve heard about Elbert’s Cheesesteak is that it’s too expensive. “P320 for a sandwich indeed!” They huff as they dig into it. As someone who spends most of her money on food (and food-related doodads) price doesn’t bother me. I believe I get what I pay for. (Most of the time anyway). The quality of the meat speaks for itself and let’s not forget that Elbert owns one of the more exclusive steak restaurants in the city where quality is synonymous with good eating; again, at a price.

I’ve only eaten at Lolo Dad’s (the original branch) once, but I do remember being disappointed with the dessert. Perhaps dessert isn’t their forte? After all, few people are masters at cooking both savory and sweet food.

I still haven’t had the chance to try either Elbert’s or Charlie’s (though not from lack of trying), so I have no biases for either one, so far. But I don’t understand how Cheez Whiz can be too expensive, especially compared to provolone. It’s processed cheese in a jar. And last I checked, it’s available locally. Charlie’s supposedly uses Cheez Whiz, and they’re much cheaper.

Hmm, i’ve been to Philly a couple of times, and we got served cheesesteaks. The cheese is american cheddar that’s melted, and it does look like cheeze wiz, but much much better. They also have caramelized onions AND bell peppers. Thinking about it makes me drool. I think having a cheese of choice is stellar, pepper jack on mine please!!

Hi Lori… just came back from four days of eating in Cebu and all I can think of is LECHON… haha.. particularly the lechon de leche served in Marco Polo Plaza’s lunch AND dinner buffet!, i believe that was my first introduction to Cebu-made lechon and it was…. gads, if I could marry that lechon I devoured, I would! the other high point of my recent trip was the excellent excellent dinner we had at Acqua, the Italian restaurant Shang, Mactan. the dessert wasn’t much, but the food – gads, pamatay (particularly Chef Luca’s antipasti sampler – i’ll post that soon on Facebook – and a gorgeyous ravioli dish with cepes bathed in a terrific gorgonzola sauce. tulo laway to the max!

also tried Chef Aimee Tran’s desserts – homemade mint and rich chocolate ice cream, lemon cheesecake and banana trifle at Abaca, and those and her bouillabaisse i had earlier for my dinner were also superb! so if ever you’re in Cebu soon..

so sorry you didn’t really enjoy lolo dad’s in 6750’s “only for the rich.” in my case, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Lolo Dad’s is that dish, which is one of my topmost favorites (Mia and Ariel says they call it that dish in reference to the ingredients used – foie gras, lobster, jamon serrano, etc. in the dish),” .. on the two, three occassions that I’ve been there, I’ve had had no complaints (except for the price, ugh! but usually I share it with another because its actually a big plate, then we do a jak’en’poy for the bigger sliver of foie gras, haha!).. i also order from the menu my favorite dessert in the house – a superb dark chocolate and almond segafredo which shares space on the plate plate with homemade orange ice cream popsicle. sarap!! try that one if ever you find yourself in the place next time..

@katrina: we tried local cheese whiz and it just didn’t cut it. The local variety is very different from the US version, which the original South Philly cheesesteak establishment Pat’s uses. For one, when melted, it turns to water. Secondly, it’s way saltier than the original too, which in my experience, didn’t enhance the cheesesteak, rather it overpowered the flavor of the rest of the ingredients. As far as cost is concerned, and Lori got it right when she says it’s expensive, a 6.5lb can of original Cheese Whiz from the US costs $16.25 pre-shipping. That translates to a cost of at least P194 for a 50g portion that we would place on each sandwich.

We discovered that the processed cheddar cheese we are using now, when melted, has pretty much the same flavor and texture as the original Cheese Whiz, so we went for that instead.

Still, I placed an order of a few hundred cans of Cheese Whiz from the US so we can try it out and see how the market reacts to it. We should have it within a month or so.

Just came back from a long Mother’s Day celebration with family where I decided to spend a little extra for Mom and treat her to Lolo Dad’s for lunch. I have to say, I was TERRIBLY disappointed with the food. I spent a good amount, and expected great food. Now, I feel thoroughly embarrassed to have brought my family there.

We started with an order of “Only for the Rich” Salad – the greens were overdressed, the duck liver’s richness with was quickly rendered unpalatable with the incredibly bitter flavor of its burnt exterior, and the lobster had the texture of rubber. The only saving grace was the scallop which was cooked well.

We followed with an order of the rib eye which was forgettable. The lobster thermidore was just as tough, though I liked the accompanying pumpkin gratin. I also ordered the smoked salmon pasta, intrigued by its pizza omelette side dish. The order came and didn’t realize it was, quite literally, an omelette sitting on top of a slice of pizza crust. I was expecting to have been blown away by some ingenious preparation. The hammer-in-the-head omelette pizza was just hilarious. I snickered when I got my order.

Where food quality suffers in most restaurants because of the volume of clients (understandable but not excuseable, though), the fact of the matter is that there were only about four or five occupied tables. There was no excuse for bad food preparation.

Suffice to say, I would NOT RECOMMEND this restaurant to my friends, and discourage them from even trying.

• I tried Elbert’s Provolone Cheesesteak the other day and it does taste good but the price is a rip-off. A cousin of mine who works at a call center in emerald avenue, ortigas brought me to a place called BANCHETTO. She said that she’s hooked into philly cheesesteaks being sold by a lady vendor in one of the food stalls at BANCHETTO. Her food stall is called A LA TEP.So we gave it a try and whoa it blew us off!!!
The beef is so tender, juicy and well-seasoned. The creamy condiment adds rich flavor to the beef and its sauteed onions gives a bit of spice. The melted cheese is really awesome. She uses a steak roll by French Baker and it’s the perfect bread match, crunchy on the outside and kindda soft inside. And on top of it all we only paid P80 for such a delicious sandwich. The aroma of the beef is really pleasant. Based on its taste and value, it’s definitely one of the best tasting cheesesteak sandwiches we’ve ever tried!!! We just hope that she’ll make a much bigger size sandwich, say an 8-inch steak roll will definitely satisfy all our cravings. Kudo’s to that lady in black shirt with red apron!!!

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[…] on Super Prime steaks that resulted in an abundance of meat trimmings, giving way to the birth of Elbert’s Cheesesteak and the opening of the Steak Room for lunch service.Here, the light of day evinces a very different […]

[…] insist that I must order the Millionaire’s Salad (P1,200) of which Lolo Dad’s Bistro serves a similar version. It’s so named because the ingredients that compose it are all luxe, thus only the moneyed being […]